Why the Joy of Purim Starts So Early

 By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

The sages state (Taanis 29a) that “when the month of Adar begins, we increase our level of joy.” The Gemara goes on to say that not only joy, but the Mazal of the Jewish people is better in Adar than in other months.

Presumably, Adar is a joyful month because of Purim. So why should the joy start a whole two weeks before Purim? And when there are two Adars, some say that the joy begins a month and a half before Purim! While we may start our Pesach cleaning well in advance of the holiday, Pesach only starts on the 15th of Nissan, and the same applies for all the Chagim. Aren’t we starting the joy of Adar a bit too early?

Also, the exact wording of the Gemara is “just as when Av begins, we reduce our level of joy, so too on Adar, we increase our level of joy.” Why does the Gemara connect Av, which is the time for mourning the loss of the Beis Hamikdash, with the month of Adar? We reduce joy during Av as a sign of mourning. What does that have to do with increasing joy on Adar?

The Sefer Shevet Mussar answers that in Av, the main Mitvza is to mourn for the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash on Tisha Baav itself. Only, we can’t reach a state of real mourning if we don’t start ahead of time. Arousing in ourselves a sense of mourning for the Churban must be done little by little. So too, the main joy of the month of Adar is on Purim. However, we have to first build up an inner sense of joy and Hodaah [thanksgiving and praise to Hashem]. This is a process that takes time. It’s not a matter of drinking a bit of wine and feeling an induced sort of “joy.” The sages are referring to an internal state of joy and Hodaa for the miracles of Purim, and such a lofty, inspired feeling cannot be reached in a minute.

Rav Yerucham Brodiansky turns to the Rambam to get a better understanding of what we need to develop in the weeks preceding Purim. In the Rambam’s introduction to Yad Hachazaka, it states that we read the Megila on Purim “in order to praise Hashem for all the salvation He wrought for that generation, and for His being close to our prayer to Him. This [the Purim miracle] made known for all generations what was promised in the Torah: “Who is like this great people whom G-d is close to, in all of our calling out to Him?”

We should be feeling: “Wow, how happy we should be! No matter how dark the situation, we can always turn to Hashem, and He really listens and will even change the whole world to help us! Look what a close relationship we have with Hashem!” This feeling should brim up inside of us and almost intoxicate us! “How lucky we are! Even the gentiles of that era recognized our special closeness to Hashem and our power of reaching him through prayer.” This mindset must be cultivated over a period of time in order to be internalized in time for Purim.

Let’s begin cultivating this mindset by appreciating how hopeless the situation was then. In simple terms, the Jews were trapped. Every single Jew was under the reign of Achashverosh, and a royal decreed had been issued that the entire Jewish nation be annihilated. The verse states (Esther 8:8) that in Achashverosh’s kingdom, once a decreed was made, no human being could rescind it. Nothing could change that decree; the Jews had no way of defending themselves. The end of the Jewish nation seemed very close.

Moreover, on a spiritual plane, the verse testifies that “Mordechai knew all that had happened” (concerning Haman’s decree) (ibid. 4:1). Rashi explains that this means he knew that from heaven, Haman had succeeded in making this decree because of two sins – 1) The Jews had enjoyed the seuda of Achashverosh, and 2) they had bowed down to an idolatrous image. The second sin was a Chillul Hashem, for which there is no teshuva. Meaning, both on the natural, human level and on the spiritual level, the Jewish people were doomed to destruction (see commentary of Rav Yaakov of Lisa on Megilas Esther).

In this seemingly unchangeable situation, what aroused heavenly mercy was only the prayer of Klal Yisrael. Esther agreed to risk her life by approaching the king unsummoned only because of these prayers.

Before even trying to undo the decree, Esther first asked Mordechai to gather the Jews together to pray and fast “for her” (Esther 4:16). Why did she say “for her?” Of course the Jews should pray to be redeemed, but why pray and fast “for Esther?”

Rather, with these words, Esther was teaching the nation: I’m not going to the king because I think I can accomplish anything. Not at all! In both material and spiritual terms, our fate is sealed — nothing can change this. The only justification for my going to the king is your prayers. They are the only thing that can make my efforts effective.

We should also act this way. We should understand that our efforts are not the main thing, our prayer is. If we are preparing for an importance business meeting, or we’re going to the doctor in hope of finding a cure for our illness, the main effort is not the meeting, the main effort is our prayer. Moreover, in any situation, no matter how bleak, we should turn to Hashem, Who is full of mercy and waiting to hear from us.

In fact, this should be our natural reaction even in situations that do not seem so serious. Our first address must always be Hashem. Whether it’s buying a new pair of shoes or trying to catch the bus, a prayer should always be on our lips. My Father in heaven! Please, help me make this bus! Help me find a pair of shoes that will help me to serve You better!

Furthermore, while many of us do turn to Hashem when problems arise in the material sphere, not as many of us turn to Hashem when our problems are spiritual. If we need a Chavrusa, do we Daven to Hashem for this? If we have trouble concentrating in Shiur, do we beg Hashem that He have mercy on us and help us to concentrate? If we are beset by the Yetzer Hara, do we cry out to Hashem that He rescue us? The Steipler would advise people to Daven particularly for spiritual matters, as this is our ultimate purpose in life. He would add that our requests for material matters are not always for our benefit (even if we think they are), and therefore Hashem may not grant them. Spiritual matters are always a benefit to us, so Hashem will surely help us (although we may not see the results right away).

In Brachos (17a), various examples are given of Amoraim who made personal requests in their own words at the end of their Shemoneh Esrei prayer. Most of their requests are for spiritual matters. Rav Yonasan Eibschutz writes in Yaaros Dvash that the days that he Davened to Hashem for success in his learning, pouring his heart out in tears – on these days he merited great success, much more than on days that he did not Daven with such fervor. “Don’t think that the key to success in Torah depends on intelligence. Our Tefillos are what make the difference. I got to where I am not through my intelligence, but how much I prayed for success in learning.”

Every Shabbos morning, Rav Yechezkel Avramsky would recite chapter 119 of Tehillim, which is a prayer for Torah. When he reached verse 64: “Your chessed, Hashem, fills the entire world, teach me Your laws,” Rav Avramsky would often shudder, and call out, in his own words: “Hashem, You do Chessed for the entire world, but I’m not asking for more than one thing — teach me Your laws! My Father, teach me Your Torah! Help me to succeed in my learning!

May we turn to Hashem for everything!